You see on your Uber map that Gaff is a few minutes east of you dropping somebody off at the post office, and there is another unknown Uber within range.
"Thank you, Miss Sherri." Oakwinkle looks to have collected himself a bit and isn't as pale as before. "I will make myself a nice cup of tea and read a bit of Wordsworth once I get home. That should calm my nerves. Where are you all going next?"
Sherri's phone suddenly buzzes. Detective Grimsley has texted you: Dropped both our "friends" off at station, they are planning to interrogate while I take care of the family. No rush but they'll probably want to talk to you too, whenever you get chance. Stay safe, I am driving out to Hampton to check on Presley.
Sherri sighs a little bit, and then offers "If either of you really need a place to sleep, sweeties, you can crash at my place... I don't have another bed, but I do have a couch."
Gaff's trademark blue Pontiac Firebird pulls neatly into the parking lot in the background and idles there to wait; you hear some faint strains of Boogie Fever by the Sylvers playing from the stereo.
Gaff sticks his spiky-haired head out the window again and waves merrily, turning down the music to be heard. "Hey, chuckleheads! You gonna stand around counting centaurs or what?"
"My name is Oakwinkle, not Winkle," Oakwinkle says firmly in reply, but seems more amused than annoyed. "I would like a ride to my domicile, if you please."
"Sure thing, Mister Oakenwinkle, hop in." Gaff salutes playfully.
"Welcome back into the Firebird, my friends," Gaff says, with an extra smile in Sherri's direction. "Where am I taking you after I drop off Mister Oakenwink?"
"Well, my favorite new assistant, after dropping off Mister Oakenwink we're headed back to my own "domicile", I'm afraid. It's been a long day, darling."
"Tally-ho and off we go!" He turns onto the street next to the library. "I've been brainstorming what shoes I'll wear to match your dress in the meantime. How do you feel about yellow?"
"Yellow, yellow... hmm. An interesting idea, but I must admit I've been imagining it with red shoes... but doing the unexpected is always my thing, so why not try both, or even more? Royal purple..."
"Sorry, Fin sweetie, I-" she yawns again - "can't exactly control it."
"Ooooh, my girlfriend has these marvelous purple-and-red shoes I've been meaning to borrow from her." He blushes a bit. "I just hope she won't mind..."
Sherri stays quiet, not wanting to embarrass either of them by offering clothes in a semi-public environment (and also contemplating if she has anything in either of their sizes).
"Oakwinkle, dear, are you okay by yourself for the evening? You must be shaken up after today..."
"I'm quite all right, Miss Sherri, but thank you for asking. Once I have a bit of chamomile and some aspirin I will be right as rain." Oakwinkle keeps giving Gaff curious looks. "I never acquired the name of our... quite unique driver."
"Gaff's the name," Gaff says merrily, glancing back. "Full name is Gafferty, but, y'know, you can imagine why the nickname is catchier."
@Mithical Oakwinkle gives Sherri a quick, almost guilty look as the car pulls into the driveway of his bungalow. "Hm? Oh, nothing, my dear - just some pondering is all."
"We've arrived at your abode, Mr. Winkleton," says Gaff, putting the car into park with a thunk. "Take care of yourself out there, all right? These fellas obviously care about you."
"Yes, I know they do," says Oakwinkle, and pats Sherri's hand, a bit awkwardly. "They are very special to me too. Be well, Miss Teri, Miss Sherri, Miss Fin."
You feel Oakwinkle deftly slip something into the palm of your hand with the strange hand-pat gesture before he leaves - it feels about the size of a small marble.
You feel vaguely that there is something magical, unusual or otherwise odd about Gaff's hands. Or perhaps the gloves? You're not fully certain. Whatever it is, it feels like it is transmutation.
"Well, shall we get trucking onwards?" he says nonchalantly, putting the car back into reverse and pulling out of the driveway. "Got places to go and wardrobes to pick out."
You see that Oakwinkle has given you a tiny, obsidian-black marble with a red line shot through it, almost like a vein of fire. It thrums a little bit with magic - it's very clearly an arcane object.
"Out of curiosity," says Gaff, glancing into his rearview mirror. "How'd you all end up traveling together? Don't usually see a ragtag group like you around - I mostly drive service workers and stuffy business people with briefcases."
"Bah. You folks are wasted at a library. I've only just met you and all, but you seem like you're destined for bigger things, you get me? Some people are just like that - special." Gaff waves a dismissive hand. "Not that I'm all that special, I'm just a guy who fixes cars, but like, you know. You've got to have an it factor."
"Keep on keeping on, is what I'm saying. Be you." Gaff pulls into the parking lot of Sherri's apartment and throws the car into park again. "I hope you folks keep a good head on your shoulders and some hope, that's all. Sometimes this world tries to take it away."
Gaff blinks at Fin, clearly unsure why the dwarf is giving him a dirty look. "What's the gawkin' for? I get all philosophical sometimes - you don't have to listen to me ramble."
"I hope you folks get some rest, then. Let me know if you ever need a lift. The lady and I are happy to take you." He waits patiently for you to disembark.
"I don't know, I didn't get a necessarily bad feeling from him... I did feel like something weird was going on with his hands... something magical, but I'm not entirely sure what it was. Did you notice anything, Teri, dear?"
You have the same observation as Sherri - there was something odd and transmutation-related about either his hands or his driving gloves. You didn’t notice anything else potentially suspicious in the car, besides your magic umbrella and a weird feeling about something Sherri was holding.
No worries - I had to quickly deal with work stuff on the phone midway through, sorry if my messages got suddenly slow. It was a fun session :)
I just think it's funny whenever I make a passing mention of "hmm there's something odd about this NPC" and immediately we're like "There is 1 imposter remaining"
